The present invention relates to a mounting element for and a method of mounting an object to a support structure, such as masonry or the like.
It is known to provide a mounting element having a mounting portion for mounting an object thereon, and an anchoring portion arranged to be received into a mounting hole of the support structure and to be anchored in the latter by a hardenable binding material which is introduced into the hole. It is also known to provide a ring member which closes an annular gap between the mounting element and the wall of the mounting hole and has a filling opening for injecting the hardenable binding material into the mounting hole.
In order to anchor the mounting element, a mounting hole having a diameter corresponding to that of the ring member is drilled in the support structure. Thereupon, the mounting element together with the ring member fitted thereon, is pressed into the hole. Thereby, the annular gap which is formed between the mounting element and the wall of the mounting hole is closed. At the same time, the mounting element is centered in the mounting hole and is fixed in the centered position by the ring member. Then, the mounting hole is filled by the hardenable binding material by introducing the latter through the filling opening of the ring member. The needed holding force is attained by the interengagement resulting from the filling of unevennesses of the mounting hole, on the one hand, and by arresting means provided on the mounting element, such as grooves, notches, projections or the like, on the other hand.
However, when the wall of the mounting hole is smooth, the volumetric contraction of the binding material is insignificant and therefore the friction between the hardened core of the binding material and the wall of the mounting hole can be low, whereby the holding force is substantially small. In order to avoid this, it has been proposed to make the mounting hole of a cross-section increasing toward the bottom thereof. It is understood that the process of drilling such holes requires special drilling devices. However, such drilling devices are not always available at working sites. On the other hand, the drilling of the undercut mounting holes in hard support structures encounters significant difficulties.